Musings and reflections: Februar 2011

Sonntag, 27. Februar 2011

Photos | Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, More On The 2008 American Music Awards Red Carpet

Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, More On The 2008 American Music Awards Red Carpet

The Killers Bowling For Soup Papa Roach The Dillinger Escape Plan

Jay-Z, Kanye West's 'H.A.M.' Beatsmith Lex Luger Looks Ahead

'I feel like I can go where I want to go,' producer tells Mixtape Daily.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Cristopher Schafer and Samuel Rogers

Lex Luger
Photo: MTV News

Behind the Beats: Lex Luger
Last year, Virginia native Lex Luger emerged on the scene as a producer on the rise with a pair of breakout numbers: Waka Flocka Flame's rumbling "Hard in da Paint" and Rick Ross' industrial-strength banger "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)."

This year, however, he's already showed a more diverse approach to projects, a full-length effort with Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J and the first single from Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne joint LP.

The young beatsmith — who, like Big K.R.I.T., learned how to produce using the PlayStation video game "Beat Generator" — expects to showcase his range in 2011.

"My sound is hard, but I want people to hear another side," Luger said. "I got R&B, pop, everything, and I want people to see that and hear that. I feel like I could do that now because of this Kanye West and Jay-Z record. I feel like I can go where I want to go."

Bow down.

Five-Star Stellar Hits
Rick Ross' "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)": "To take something that a lot of people thought was nothing and to turn it into another dimension of sound was crazy to me," Luger said. "The reaction from people that I saw was crazy to me. That's when I really knew this is what i wanted to do."

Waka Flocka Flame's "Hard in da Paint": Luger said he was in Atlanta the first time he heard it. "I don't listen to the radio or go out that much; I just work," he explained. "When I got to Atlanta, I think I was on the way back from the airport and my boy turned on the radio. My boy was like, 'Yeah, this is it.' I said, 'Turn it up,' and it felt crazy."

Jay-Z and Kanye West's "H.A.M.": " 'H.A.M.' really came about in New York City. Me and Kanye, we had did 'See Me Now.' I played him a lot of beats, but he liked the ones that I didn't expect him to like. I left, like, eight beats with him; he called me, like, two weeks later and he said he wanted, for sure, two. That was one of the ones. ... I sent him the track out. He did what he did to it, still I didn't hear the song. I couldn't hear it until everyone else heard it. Working with Kanye was crazy. I can't really explain it. He's a perfectionist. He has to have everything perfect and out the ordinary, 10 times greater than everything. He's a crazy guy, but he's fire."

Hottest Streak Thus Far
From 2010 up to now: He produced smashes from Ross, Waka, Slim Thug and his recently completed Juicy J mixtape, Rubba Band Business. Currently, he's hoping to get in the studio with Curren$y, Drake, Nipsey Hussle and Wiz Khalifa.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out .

Phish Kanye West Super Furry Animals Red Hot Chili Peppers

Bow Wow, Omarion 'Bringing The Noise' With R. Kelly; Plus Jordin Sparks, Don Vito, Britney Spears, DMX & More, In For The Record

Sparks talks debut LP; Vincent Margera hit with 12 counts of violating bail; Spears' and Kevin Federline's lawyers discuss child-abuse investigation.
By MTV News staff

Bow Wow and Omarion at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards on Sunday
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

There were surfboards and gleeful squeals aplenty Sunday night at the Teen Choice Awards — not to mention a whole lot of plugging going on from the stars MTV News caught up with on the red carpet at the event, which took place in Universal City, California. "American Idol" champ Jordin Sparks let it be known that even though she plans to record the majority of her yet-untitled debut after she wraps the Idols Live Tour at the end of September, she's still hoping to have it in stores on November 20. Actress Emmy Rossum promises that her upcoming album Inside Out will package "ambient pop ... in a really sexy, new and fresh way," and Bow Wow and Omarion said that their upcoming album Face Off will be a guest-star-heavy good time: "We just left Chicago, working with R. Kelly, and we still got to work with T-Pain, Timbaland, Lil Ronnie (who produced 'I'm a Flirt'), so we're definitely bringing the noise," Bow Wow said. "We got the chance to give people what they want: There's been a drought in the music, there hasn't been a lot of fun in music, so with the videos and everything, we're gonna do that." ...

(Catch up with Fergie, Bow Wow, Omarion, Jordin Sparks, Emmy Rossum and more at the Teen Choice Awards in these video clips.)

Vincent "Don Vito" Margera saw his first court date on two counts of sexual assault on a child once again pushed back on Monday (August 27) — to October 22. But the news wasn't all positive for Bam Margera's uncle, as he was hit with 12 counts of violating his bail-bond conditions. Pam Russell, a spokesperson for Colorado's Jefferson and Gilpin County district attorney's office, confirmed that each unspecified violation is a felony, but said she was not allowed by law to provide specifics on how Margera is alleged to have violated his bail. A hearing on the bond-violation charges is slated for September 5. Margera, 51, has been out on $50,000 bond since last year, when he was charged in the incident that allegedly involved inappropriate contact with two underage girls at a promotional event in Colorado. He was ordered to return to his home in Pennsylvania, submit to random urine tests, have no contact with children under 18 and supply his bond supervisor with his itinerary if he travels for business. Margera's attorney could not be reached for comment. In addition to a maximum of six years in prison on the assault charges, The Associated Press reported that he could face up to 18 months in prison for the bail violations. ...

Britney Spears' and Kevin Federline's lawyers appeared at a last-minute hearing on Monday to discuss a Department of Child and Family Services child-abuse investigation and the former spouses' child-custody battle. According to a Los Angeles Superior Court clerk, the hearing was closed to the public and held in the judge's chambers, with documents on both sides filed soon thereafter. The documents remain sealed while the judge determines whether they may be released to the public. According to a source in Federline's camp, he could end up with temporary custody of his two children with Spears, Sean Preston and Jayden James. There's no word yet on who filed the complaint that prompted the DCFS investigation, the third the pop singer has faced since having children — the first was prompted when she was photographed driving without a car set for Sean Preston, the second when the child fell out of his high chair. The custody battle will continue September 4. ...

In the meantime, Spears' former manager Larry Rudolph doesn't want to be involved in the child-custody dispute for fear that he might have to reveal certain information about the singer, People reports. Ryan Seacrest said on his "On Air With Ryan Seacrest" radio show on Monday morning that he was in contact with Rudolph over the weekend and that the lawyer "doesn't want to have to go under oath and talk about certain things that might hurt [Spears]." In related news, the singer was cleared by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals after questions were raised about a leg injury sustained by Spears' Yorkshire terrier. The group said Spears had been cooperative and that the dog received proper medical attention. ...

Authorities unearthed the remains of two more dogs that had been buried in the backyard of DMX's residence in Cave Creek, Arizona, and discovered a half-pound of what they believe to be illegal narcotics, Maricopa County sheriff's office spokesman Captain Paul Chagolla told MTV News on Monday. At a press conference on Saturday, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said more information regarding the raid will be released Tuesday. ...

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's 17-year-old son, was discharged from a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday morning after being involved in a car accident the previous evening. Police said Bollea, who was featured in VH1's "Hogan Knows Best" reality series, was driving his Toyota Supra at a high speed along state Route 60 when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a raised median at 7:30 p.m. in Clearwater. The car reportedly flipped over, and the rear of the vehicle collided with a palm tree. Bollea and one of his car's passengers, 22-year-old John Graziano, were airlifted to the Bayfront Medical Center following the crash. The nature of both Bollea's and Graziano's injuries was not immediately known, but a police spokesperson characterized them as serious. Graziano remains under the hospital's care in critical condition. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the accident, but police continue to investigate the crash. No criminal charges have been filed. "My son Nick and a friend were involved in a car accident last night," Linda Hogan said in a statement reportedly obtained Monday by TMZ.com. "Nick suffered minor injuries and has been treated and released from the hospital. At this time, his friend John Graziano remains hospitalized. Nick is currently at the hospital with John and his family. His sole concern is for the well-being of his friend. On behalf of my family, we ask that your thoughts and prayers be with John and his loved ones." ...

The White Stripes have a full fall ahead, as they plan to continue to back their recent Icky Thump LP with additional touring. But that's not stopping the tireless Jack White from giving some love to his other project, the Raconteurs, as well. He and bandmate Brendan Benson posted a humorous and slightly enigmatic exchange on their band's Web site on Monday morning, letting slip a few details about the follow-up to last year's Broken Boy Soldiers. "The 'Teurs have a lot of new songs in the works people, the writing and structure of them has dissipated and reinvigorated and many times over since we came home from our last shows," the post read. "The new songs are coming together strong, I hate to even attempt to describe them." ...

The Cure have put the brakes on their planned September/October tour in North America, deciding instead to push it to April/May. "The schedule as it stands only gives us a couple of weeks to finish our new double album before we hit the road again, and we know this just isn't enough time to complete the project to our total satisfaction," the band said in a statement posted on its site, TheCure.com. Tickets purchased for the originally scheduled shows will be honored. ... Phil Spector's top lawyer, Bruce Cutler, announced Monday that he is leaving the case due to a "difference of opinion between Mr. Spector and me on strategy," according to AP. Spector later told reporters that it was his decision for the attorney to leave, saying Cutler "shouldn't do the closing argument because it wouldn't be in my best interest to stay on. He agreed. ... I thought he would be a target with the judge and prosecutors and that he wouldn't be taken as seriously as he should. With his television show, he wasn't here as much as he should have been." Defense lawyer Roger Rosen is taking over as Spector's top lawyer. Also on Monday, the defense called two witnesses — Lana Clarkson's friends Jennifer Hayes-Riedl and Elizabeth "Punkin Pie" Laughlin — to reiterate their testimony. Defense lawyers also started showing jurors e-mails recently extracted from the hard drive on the deceased actress' computer. In the messages, Clarkson detailed her depression over her acting career and turning 40, and wrote about her use of pain pills and alcohol. ...

Madonna and her family are planning to head back to Israel in September — and this time Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and possibly Bruce Willis are expected to go participate in the trek, The Jerusalem Post reports. The celebrities will join thousands of Kabbalah Center students for the 10-day High Holiday pilgrimage, which begins with Rosh Hashanah (September 12-14) and ends with Yom Kippur (September 21-22). The paper reports that the press will be asked to keep its distance from the celebrities after Madonna — who only plans to go to the first few days of the event — was hounded by media when she made a similar visit three years ago. ... Kevin Smith is no stranger to TV — from subbing for Roger Ebert on "Ebert & Roeper" to cropping up on "Veronica Mars," he's definitely made his presence known on the small screen. Now the "Clerks" director is set to helm episodes of "Heroes: Origins" — a spinoff of the action show — "Reaper" and "Battlestar Galactica." Smith told AOL TV he's especially excited about "Battlestar": "It's cool, but it is scary because it is like, 'What the f---?' I can't bring anything to that show." ...

Matt Costa is putting off his second album a bit longer — Unfamiliar Faces, produced by No Doubt's Tom Dumont, has shifted to January 15. But the California singer/songwriter is staying busy — he's tacked onto his schedule a handful of dates opening for Modest Mouse: Monday (Portland, Oregon); September 10 (Salt Lake City); September 14 (Santa Barbara, California); and September 15 (Las Vegas). ... Rousing indie-rockers the Hold Steady and Art Brut are ganging up for NME's Rock 'N' Roll Riot Tour, which will hit the States this fall for the first time. The run stretches from an October 21 gig in Providence through a November 21 concert in New York. ... My Bloody Valentine are close to signing a deal that would reunite the seminal shoegazer band for a performance at next year's Coachella in April — and a subsequent tour to boot, TheDailySwarm.com reports. The band hasn't been active for a dozen years, but reports have suggested that a new album might be in the works.

08.24.07

Jordin Sparks doesn't have a name for her debut album yet, but she's got a release date set in stone: November 20. In anticipation of the 19 Recordings/ Jive disc, the "American Idol" champ drew back the curtains on her first single on Friday, debuting "Tattoo" on AOL's Pop Eater blog. The track hits radio Monday. Sparks told The Associated Press that the effort was partly modeled after one of her own idols, Kelly Clarkson — but that she's a bit nervous to be following in the wake of Clarkson and Carrie Underwood's success. "They've risen the bar so high and I'm like, 'I hope I can reach it,' " she said. "Hopefully [my LP will] sell well and people will like it." ...

The runner-up to Sparks, Blake Lewis, is following suit — he just signed to 19 Recordings/ Arista and is planning to drop his first album late this year as well. Hit-maker du jour J.R. Rotem is already on board for the effort. ...

It's no McDonald's parking-lot tour, but Missy Elliott will be featured in a new Doritos ad campaign debuting September 17, Billboard.com reports. In the clip, she is seen working on a new song and snacking on Doritos Collision, different-flavored chips that spur her to fuse a little country into her hip-hop track. A contest to be held on SnackStrongProductions.com will allow visitors to create their own mash-ups using Elliott's track, although the prizes have yet to be determined. The site also features a help section in which Elliott will give tips. ...

Listen up, punk-rockers: Unreleased and rare tracks by Panic! at the Disco, Gym Class Heroes, the Used, Cute Is What We Aim For, Sparta, Head Automatica and more fill up Press Play: Volume 1, a new comp that was put together by Photo Finish and Alternative Press. A portion of the proceeds from the September 25 release will go to the Keep a Breast Foundation, a nonprofit organization that fights breast cancer. ...

The Disney Channel will air a special dance-along version of "High School Musical 2" on September 8 at 8 p.m. ET, People reports. Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and other castmembers will instruct viewers on how to mimic their dance moves during the opening and closing numbers. ... Russell Simmons has stepped down from his post as CEO of Phat Fashions, the company he founded in 1992 that spawned Phat Farm clothing. "I leave the division and the brand in great hands. There are so many things I want to achieve, and this is the appropriate moment for me to move on to my next business venture," the hip-hop mogul said in a statement. ...

Mos Def is sounding off about José Padilla, the Guantánamo detainee who was convicted earlier this week of supporting terrorism. "We all know the history of insufficient evidence or testimony under duress — at the very least, legal circumstances that demand some sort of reinvestigation ... basically saying these people are not the criminals they're being made out to be," he told The Associated Press on Thursday. Mos Def will participate this weekend in the 10th annual Black August benefit concert at New York's Nokia Theatre. The event serves to create awareness about people who its organizers, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, believe have been unfairly convicted — Talib Kweli, Saigon and Dead Prez are also on the bill. ...

Music, martial arts and chess ... how could members of the Wu-Tang Clan not be involved? RZA and GZA are participating in the Hip-Hop Chess Foundation's first-ever Chess Kings Invitational, set for October 13 at the San Francisco Design Center. The rappers will talk on the tournament's Life Strategies panel about how music, martial arts and chess — activities the organization uses to promote nonviolence — have affected their lives. ...

Muse have plotted a handful of September dates with Juliette and the Licks: Seattle (September 9); Portland, Oregon (September 10); Orem, Utah (September 12); Dallas (September 16); Morrison, Colorado (September 18); Mesa, Arizona (September 20); and Irvine, California (September 21). Muse will also hit the San Diego Street Scene on September 22. ... Ben Kweller just squeezed out a new seven-track live EP, Ben Kweller: Live and Solo at the Artists Den, that was recorded December 13 at New York's Solo House. The disc of rarely performed songs is available now at digital outlets. ...

System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian will shoot a video for "Praise the Lord, Pass the Ammunition," from the rocker's solo debut, Elect the Dead, at an undisclosed venue in Hollywood next week with director Greg Watermann (Mudvayne, Lamb of God). Extras are needed for the video — those interested in auditioning can e-mail Watermann at serjvideo@gregwatermann.com. ... The track list for Thrice's upcoming LP The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II - Fire & Water has been revealed. Fire will boast six cuts, including "The Messenger," "Backdraft" and "Burn the Fleet"; Water will also contain six tunes, among them "Open Water," "Night Diving" and "Kings Upon the Main." Look for the discs to hit stores October 16. ...

A writer/producer who worked on "In Living Color" and created Nickelodeon's "Roundhouse" is suing the Walt Disney Company, claiming it stole his idea for "Hannah Montana," Reuters reports. In the suit, Morris Taylor "Buddy" Sheffield says he pitched Disney Channel executives the idea for a kids' show about a high school student who leads a secret life as a pop star. Sheffield also claims Disney could owe him and his production company millions in lost profits and damages, and he wants compensation for legal fees. A Disney Channel spokesperson told the news service the network had no comment. ...

Kirsten Dunst's penthouse suite at a hotel in Manhattan, New York, was robbed earlier this month, according to court records obtained by AP. Thieves got away with a $13,000 handbag, cell phone, $2,500 in cash, an iPod, two digital cameras and ID cards belonging to the actress, who had been in the city to shoot scenes for her upcoming flick "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." One suspect was arraigned Wednesday on burglary and grand-larceny charges, and is being held on $50,000 bond. ...

Hellyeah — the band featuring members of Mudvayne, Pantera and Nothingface — are on the hunt for a dozen women they'd like to act as their "Hellyeah girls." The winners will be featured in the band's 2008 calendar — to enter, contestants need to post an audition video to Break.com and send a link to the clip to hellyeahtv@gmail.com. ... The Dillinger Escape Plan will headline a U.S. tour this fall set to kick off October 4 in Cleveland, Ohio. Just five dates have been confirmed, but more will be announced in the coming weeks. The trek will also feature A Life Once Lost, Behold ... the Arctopus and Genghis Tron. Dillinger's forthcoming LP, Ire Works, lands in stores November 13. ...

The resurrected Jesus & Mary Chain are heading back to the studio to record their first studio album in nine years. The band will also treat four West Coast cities to more concerts: Las Vegas (October 20); Anaheim, California (October 22); Los Angeles (October 23) and San Francisco (October 26-27). ... Queen guitarist Brian May has finished his doctorate in a crazy little thing called astrophysics — he was awarded his Imperial College qualification on Thursday in London. May had been an astrophysics student before joining the band 37 years ago but dropped out as Queen became successful. His thesis? "Radical Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud." ...

Ted Nugent is at it again. The controversial right-wing rocker went on a profanity-spewed tirade at a concert last week, according to video footage posted on LiveLeak.com. With machine guns in his hands, a camouflaged Nugent yelled, "Obama, he's a piece of sh--, and I told him to suck on my machine gun. ... And then I was in New York. I said, 'Hey Hillary, you might want to ride one of these into the sunset.' " He also went off on Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer before saying, "Any questions?" and shouting, "Freedom!"

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Arcade Fire, Justin Bieber, Rihanna Win Brit Awards

'We're called Arcade Fire -- check it out on Google,' Win Butler jokes on Tuesday night.
By Gil Kaufman

Justin Bieber at the 2011 Brit Awards
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Less than 48 hours after his Grammy Awards disappointment, Justin Bieber got some sweet redemption at Tuesday night's Brit Awards. The annual kudos fest was held at London's O2 arena, and it featured a trophy for Bieber in the International Breakthrough Act category, as well as some additional hardware for one of Sunday night's biggest winners.

After taking home the Album of the Year honors at the Grammys, Arcade Fire continued their winning ways at the Brits, snagging a pair of trophies — which were crafted by designer Vivienne Westwood — for Best International Album and Best International Group.

"We're called Arcade Fire — check it out on Google," band leader Win Butler said in a nod to his group's search engine popularity in the wake of the Grammy surprise.

The Brits showed more love for their former colonies as Barbadian Rihanna took Best International Female Star, and American Cee Lo Green snagged Best International Male Solo Artist.

It was also a big night for British rapper Tinie Tempah, who was honored for Best British Breakthrough Act and Best Single for his tune "Pass Out." Tempah's album is slated for release in the U.S. in the spring.

As their debut continues to move back up the U.S. charts, Grammy performers Mumford & Sons won Best British Album for Sigh No More, while reunited British boy-now-man band Take That — which features singer Robbie Williams — were awarded Best British Group. Rising star Jessie J got the Critics' Choice prize and 21-year-old folk singer Laura Marling was named Best British Female.

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Hulk Hogan's Son Injured In Car Crash; Plus Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis, Missy Elliott, Panic! At The Disco & More, In For The Record

'Idol' champ bares her 'Tattoo'; Lewis primes debut LP; Elliott featured in Doritos ad campaign.
By MTV News staff

Nick Bollea's car after the Sunday crash
Photo: Tim Boyles/ Getty Images

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's 17-year-old son, was discharged from a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday morning (August 27) after being involved in a car accident the previous evening. Police said Bollea, who was featured in VH1's "Hogan Knows Best" reality series, was driving his Toyota Supra at a high speed along state route 60 when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a raised median at 7:30 p.m. in Clearwater. The car reportedly flipped over, and the rear of the vehicle collided with a palm tree. Bollea and one of his car's passengers, 22-year-old John Graziano, were airlifted to the Bayfront Medical Center following the crash. The nature of both Bollea's and Graziano's injuries was not immediately known, but a police spokesperson characterized them as serious. Graziano remains under the hospital's care in critical condition. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the accident, but police continue to investigate the crash. No criminal charges have been filed. ...

08.23.07

In one minute, out the next: Nicole Richie checked herself into the Century Regional Facility in Lynwood, California, on Thursday (August 23) to start serving her DUI sentence — only to find herself checking out less than an hour and a half later due to overcrowding. Richie had been sentenced to serve four days in jail. "At this time, the criteria for a female arrestee sentenced to 30 days or less for a nonviolent offense is as follows: the arrestee is booked, screened and usually released within 12 hours," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a press release issued to MTV News. "This procedure is based on jail overcrowding to manage population levels mandated by federal court guidelines. Based on the mandated guidelines and Ms. Richie's 96 hours sentence, she will be treated in the same manner as other inmates with a similar sentence." The jail is the same one where Paris Hilton served a portion of her DUI sentence. ...

The Kelly Clarkson train is slowly getting back on the tracks. After the early-summer one-two punch of dumping her manager and canceling the tour in support of My December, the singer has booked the first two shows of what is expected to be a fall/winter outing. The dates — an October 10 show at Verona, New York's Turning Stone casino and another on October 15 at New York's Beacon Theater — are in venues decidedly smaller than some of the arenas Clarkson had been originally booked to hit as part of her scotched 35-date summer tour. The full itinerary for her rescheduled trek is expected in two weeks, according to a management spokesperson. ...

Justin Timberlake is joining the cast of "The Love Guru," a sports comedy starring Mike Myers, Verne Troyer and Jessica Alba. The Myers-produced film is set to begin production next month in Toronto and tentatively be released in theaters June 20. Timberlake will play a hockey player tangled in a love triangle with the top player on a team owned by Alba. ...

Though she's not likely to attend the ceremony given her doctor's orders to take a break from touring and making appearances for the rest of the year, Amy Winehouse is one of the leading nominees for England's Music of Black Origin awards with four nominations for Best U.K. Female, Best R&B Act, Best Video and Best Song for "Rehab." Also nominated for four awards is rapper Dizzee Rascal. The show will take place September 19 at the O2 arena in London, with the winner chosen by a tally of public votes on the event's Web site. A number of American acts are also nominated, among them Kanye West, Common and 50 Cent in the Best Hip-Hop category; and Amerie, Robin Thicke and Ne-Yo, who will battle Winehouse in the Best Song category. Rihanna has a pair of nominations, including one for Best International Act, in which she'll face off against Diddy, Akon and T.I.. ...

In related news, Paolo Nutini has reshuffled his tour plans following news that tour partner Winehouse tabled her U.S. trek until next year. The Scottish singer/songwriter's jaunt will now run from September 7 in Buffalo, New York, through October 28 in New Orleans. "I'll be thinking a good thought for her, she is a remarkable talent. In the meantime, I'm truly excited about this upcoming tour of North America — I guarantee it will be my best yet," Nutini said in a statement. ...

Rapper Saigon was arrested at 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday in New York on Manhattan's West Side after police stopped him for a traffic violation and allegedly found a switchblade-like knife in the car console. According to his lawyer Scott Leemon, the rapper (born Brian Daniel Carenard) was pulled over while driving someone else's car in what Leemon called "another example of NY's finest targeting a member of the rap and entertainment industry ... the small pocket knife was found in a console in the car, not in his possession. As such, I am hoping after further investigation this will be another example of a rapper being wrongfully arrested." Because of a prior felony assault charge, the weapon-possession charge was bumped up to a felony, according to Leemon. Saigon was released on $1,500 bail and is due in court again December 5. ...

On the hunt for killer B-sides? How about Killers B-sides? The band — which put out its last studio album, Sam's Town, less than a year ago — is planning to pump out a rarities disc before the end of the year, Brandon Flowers recently told Billboard.com. The band's cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay," rendition of Mel Tillis' "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" and "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack contribution "Move Away" are all on the tentative track list, which may include new material. The Killers have also teed up a different new song for release December 1: "Don't Shoot Me Santa," the band's next Christmas charity single for the Red Campaign. "Last year we were able to raise over $100,000 from the one song ['A Great Big Sled'], and hopefully we'll be able to do it again," Flowers said. ...

The Decemberists aren't planning just any old tour — on their upcoming trek, dubbed "The Long and Short of It," the indie-rockers will mix it up by playing at least two nights in 13 cities. They're also parsing the trek into "long" and "short" shows — the former ones will showcase their poppier material and the latter gigs will revolve around the band's epic songs. The jaunt runs from October 28 in Chicago through December 9 in Seattle. The Decemberists have also slapped together a new EP — The Perfect Crime #2 drops September 25 and features four tracks, including a remix by Junior Boys. ... Morrissey's tour plans are perhaps even more ambitious: For what is expected to be his last sweep through the States for a while, he'll hole up in Los Angeles for a marathon 10-night stand at the Palladium (October 1-13), play a four-night stand at San Francisco's Fillmore and a five-night one at New York's' Hammerstein Ballroom (October 28). Dates for the full trek are from September 21 (Las Vegas) through November 4 (Atlanta). ... Last but not least, Bright Eyes have beefed up their tour regiment, stretching their run from September 13 in Denver through November 19 in New York. ...

Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore doesn't have too many kind words to say about Avril Lavigne and John Mayer these days — although he's got plenty of respect for a certain avant-garde legend and another classic-rock hero. "I am playing with Yoko Ono, and she's well past 70 and she rocks," he told Spin for the magazine's September issue. "Neil Young rocks. It's certainly not John Mayer or Avril Lavigne. Those people don't rock. If that's the young generation in the culture, then [forget] it. In the underground, the old guys are cool. I like the fact that the older we get the more we can rock." ... Ramones fans, get ready to be bombarded: More than four hours of unreleased and rare concert material is being piled onto "It's Alive 1974-1996," a double-DVD set poised for an October 2 release. With performances of a whopping 118 songs, the set is highlighted by unissued video footage of the band's New Year's Eve 1977 gig at London's Rainbow Theatre — the show was previously captured in audio form, as the band's noted It's Alive live album. ...

Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder will perform at the world premiere of the Iraq war documentary "Body of War" at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11. The movie, which tells the story of paralyzed Iraq war vet Tomas Young — who appeared on stage with PJ at Lollapalooza — features two new songs written by Vedder, "No More" and "Long Nights." ... Talk about product placement. Southern-rap-news Web site MemphisRap.com claims Master P and his son Romeo have teamed up with T-Mobile to promote the new Sidekick LX by writing a song called "Sidekick" for their upcoming Miller Boyz album, due September 4 on P's new profanity-free label, Take a Stand Records. ... Fred Durst is in negotiations to direct "Comeback," an inspirational Pop Warner football drama starring Ice Cube, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ...

Samuel L. Jackson will emcee Save the Children's 75th anniversary event at New York's Lincoln Center on September 6. The event, to feature a performance by Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, will also serve as a tribute to former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, as well as Melinda Gates, for their humanitarian efforts. ... If you have tickets to see enigmatic metal-masked rapper MF Doom anytime soon and the guy onstage doesn't look, or even sound like, the Super Villain you know and love, you might be onto something. Bloggers have been abuzz over the past week about several recent West Coast Doom shows that have reportedly featured an impostor taking the stage in place of the rapper and performing (some say lip-synching) in Doom's place. The first sign that something was up, according to a fan who wrote into the Byron Crawford blog, was that cameras at a recent San Francisco show were strictly prohibited. The disgruntled fan wrote that Doom appeared 100 pounds lighter than usual during the 20-minute headlining performance. A spokesperson for Doom had no comment. ...

A forensics expert backed up defense claims made in the Phil Spector murder trial — and refuted by a prosecution witness on Wednesday — that Lana Clarkson might have continued breathing after she was shot at the music producer's mansion. Prosecutors sparred with the expert, Dr. Werner Spitz, afterward. ... The biggest ticketing agency in the country and the world's biggest concert promoter appear headed for a breakup. According to reports in Hits magazine online and Variety, internal documents about the negotiations from Ticketmaster said it is "doubtful" that Live Nation will renew its agreement with Ticketmaster when their current agreement expires at the end of this year. The loss of the Live Nation business, which Variety said accounted for about 15-20 percent of Ticketmaster's U.S. business in 2006, could mean Live Nation is gearing up to launch its own ticketing venture.

[This story was originally published at 8:00 pm E.T. on 8.23.2007]

Nickleback Jack Johnson Keane Phish

Rihanna, Kanye West Bring 'All Of The Lights' To All-Star Game

Duo perform hit new single at half-time of NBA super contest.
By Shawn Adler

Rihanna and Kanye West perform during the NBA All-Star Game
Photo: Getty Images

Hometown hero Kobe Bryant may have blistered the Eastern Conference during the first half of Sunday night's (February 20) NBA All-Star Game, but it took Rihanna , Drake, and Kanye West to bring the Los Angeles crowd to their feet, with a rollicking performance during half-time of the gala sporting event.

Wearing a jet black ensemble and flanked on either side by string instrumentalists, RiRi opened the set with an orchestral arrangement of her hit "Umbrella," before segueing into the faster tempo of "Only Girl" and "Rude Boy."

Rihanna was joined on stage for her fourth song when collaborator and rumored former paramour Drake jumped up from the audience to sing the duo's hit "What's My Name."

The rapper might have even scored the most points of the night by managing to work "Happy Birthday" into the song's lyrics for Rihanna, who was celebrating turning 23-years-old.

But with apologies to Drake (and Chris Paul), the assist of the evening came from Kanye West, who made a surprise appearance at the Staples Center to join Rihanna in singing the pair's new single, "All Of The Lights," just one day after the release of the song's video.

Backed by three large video screens that flashed disorienting, bright colors at lightning speeds, the performance was almost a recreation of the video, in fact, particularly the section inspired by Gaspar Noe's 2009 French film "Enter the Void."

As with any All-Star game, though, all the stars weren't on stage. While Rihanna, Drake, and Kanye performed, Jay-Z, Sean Combs, and MVP of the celebrity All-Star game Justin Bieber among others sat courtside.

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Justin Bieber, Rihanna And Others Tweet About Pre-Grammy Activities

Grammy-nominated stars tweet about bum-rushing theaters and getting freaked out by Sunday's awards.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Rihanna
Photo: Getty Images

The Grammys are going down Sunday night, but in the days beforehand, many of the stars up for hardware have been tweeting about their antics. Some missives were related to the big show, others were just in good, clean superstar fun.

Cee Lo, who is up for four mini gramophones — including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Urban/Alternative Performance and Best Short Form Music Video — tweeted on Friday about getting a luxurious lift from one of his megastar pals in order to arrive at his destination in timely fashion.

"Yo yall might not believe me but steven Spielberg is letting my use his private jet to get to san diego on time!" the Lady Killer wrote. "Its nice to have friends."

Grammy newbie Justin Bieber, who is in the running for two awards, including the coveted Best New Artist trophy, is also spending the weekend celebrating the release of his documentary, "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never." The teen sensation also decided to add the element of surprise to his 3-D flick by dropping in on some lucky moviegoers.

"About to surprise another theatre with the crew!!" he wrote. "U support us so we support u. Thank U! Let's shock the world #NSN3D."

Indie darlings Arcade Fire also unleashed a surprise on their fans Friday night by playing a last-minute, 500-ticket secret show. The collective, which is up for trophies like Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals, worked well-worn hits and insta-classics and even got a legendary street artist to helm the wheels of steel, tweeting on Friday afternoon, "Shepard Fairey will be DJ'ing before set tonight in LA."

Rihanna, on the other hand, apparently spent her Saturday helming her own low-key shindig. The songstress, who will hit the stage and whose Eminem collabo "Love the Way You Lie" is vying for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Rap Song, replied to a fan who asked her what's up, saying that she's "just shakin my ass in the mirror." The singer also conceded to some pre-show jitters.

"I CAN'T STOP thinking about tomorrow!!!" she replied to another fan. "#AnxietyF--------!!!!!!!"

Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!

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Maroon 5 Fight Off The Prince Of Darkness — For <i>Billboard</i> #1

It Won't Be Soon Before Long has second-biggest first-week sales of the year.
By Chris Harris

Last week, Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight usurped Norah Jones' Not Too Late as the year's best-selling first-week performer, with sales clocked at nearly 623,000 — a tough total to top. And this week, although Maroon 5 gave it the old college try, their It Won't Be Soon Before Long didn't quite make the grade — although its 429,500 copies sold did top Jones' first-week total of 405,000, becoming 2007's second-best-selling debut.

It Won't Be Soon Before Long is Maroon 5's second LP and its first to debut at the top of Billboard's weekly albums sales chart, according to the latest SoundScan totals. The band's debut, 2002's Songs About Jane, failed to chart in its first week in stores, but has sold more than 4.3 million units to date, powered by the group's relentless touring. Maroon 5 ran away with next week's coveted title, despite competition from the Prince of Darkness himself (Ozzy) and Young Jeezy's latest project, USDA, which features partners in crime Slick Pulla and Blood Raw.

Ozzy Osbourne's Black Rain enters the chart at #3, having sold close to 152,000 copies during its initial week at retail, and is followed at #4 by Young Jeezy Presents USDA: Cold Summer, which scanned around 95,000 units. (Ozzy's 2001 LP Down to Earth bowed at #4 with 152,500 sold, while 1995's Ozzmosis sold 127,000 copies to also open at #4.) Another newcomer to this week's chart — of which there were a total of 19 — closes out the week at #5 on sales of 92,000: the latest from Utah punk outfit the Used, Lies for the Liars (kinda funny to have USDA and the Used right next to each other on the chart).

Sandwiched at #2 between Maroon 5 and Ozzy is last week's #1, Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight, which suffered from a 68 percent second-week sales slump but still racked up another 197,700 in sales. Climbing four places to #6 this week is the self-titled debut from "American Idol" season-five finalist Chris Daughtry's eponymous rock troupe, selling more than 74,000 copies; the disc enjoyed a 45 percent spike in sales, probably boosted by the singer's appearance on the show last week. Michael Bublé's Call Me Irresponsible falls four spots to #7 with 62,000 copies scanned, while Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts returns to the top 10, climbing four positions to #8, also with an assist from her "Idol" performance. Avril Lavigne's Best Damn Thing drops to #9 with sales of 48,000, and rounding out the top 10 is Ne-Yo's Because of You.

With 34,700 copies leaving the nation's music stores this week, the Hans Zimmer-helmed soundtrack to "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" makes its Billboard debut at #14, while Trill Entertainment Presents: Survival of the Fittest, a compilation album featuring the work of rappers Foxx, Lil' Boosie and Webbie, bows at #17. The Bravery's new one, The Sun and the Moon, opens at #24, having scanned around 21,800 copies, and checking in at #40 with 14,500 sold is the Beach Boys' retrospective set The Warmth of the Sun.

Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong's solo offering A Poet's Life claims the chart's #59 slot with 10,600 units snatched up — which is quite impressive when you consider the entire effort was made available for free download prior to the CD release. Meanwhile, right behind Tim at #60 is the latest from Christian rockers Hillsong United, All of the Above. Amber Pacific's Truth in Sincerity debuts at #64, selling to the tune of nearly 10,000, and opening at #68 is the National's Boxer, with around 9,400 sold.

Rapper Ca$his' County Hound EP bows at #106 on 6,700 copies sold, and coming in at #127 is Erasure's Light at the End of the World, which scanned more than 5,800 units. Hip Hop Lives, a collaborative album from KRS-One and producer Marley Marl, enters the chart at #140, selling 5,100 and change, while Joan "One of Us" Osbourne's Breakfast in Bed comes in at #160 on sales of 4,500. At #193, with 3,800 copies scanned, is the third installation in the Ultra Weekend compilation series — a two-disc set featuring the remixed likes of Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Pink, Tiësto and Danity Kane. And lastly, coming in at #195, is the latest from R&B thrush Amel Larrieux, Lovely Standards, which sold 3,700 units in its first week on store shelves.

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Freitag, 25. Februar 2011

Is anyone out there?

Hey guys..I am new at all this blogging stuff, so you will have to forgive me for a few things. I\'m testing stuff out there, so making sure I know what I\'m doing before I really get into things :)